Fancy Mice!

[Shelbers91]

Over the past couple semesters I have met this awesome nomad fella who ha raised mice for I think around 5-8 years maybe. He will probably be leaving this semester but said I may have a couple mice (cuz I asked if I could to "remember him by" cuz he is pretty cool.

Oddly enough I already have a set up availible because when I went with my friend years ago to get animal supplies the people also had a tank with cage top and asked if he wanted it for $10. He didnt so I jumped on the awesome deal. So this is my set up if he gives them to me

The question of the matter is he has a few satins. Also years ago a wild feild mouse invited herself in and bred within the gene pool so many now come out with normal brown coloration even bred form the golden satins. Is there a specific breeding patern to follow with satins? I am super excited about it so any info would be greatly apriciated thanks!

This is an example of the golden satin from google

with babies that come out like this lol

He is worried about breeding offspring to parents because of the relitively small gene pool he has.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I bred satin mice back when I was a teenager. They're SO CUTE and some look so shiny it's like they've been buttered. I used to breed parent-to-offspring and sibling-to-sibling all the time to try and get good traits (my line tended to have poor ear set so when I got one with proper ears, MAN OH MAN did they get bred!). Small gene pool isn't a problem if you have good animals.

My concern is the field mouse thing. Domestic mice are I think a different species than your average deer mouse or white-footed mouse...I don't even know for sure if they CAN mate together. I do also know that a "wild" colored mouse is also totally normal for 100% domestic mice, so...he may just have some genetic oopsies and not a wild mouse tossed in. One of my best producing females looked just like a wild mouse, and there was no "outside influence" lol.

I'd say, breed what you like and cull what doesn't work out so well. Most importantly, ENJOY them!!!

 

[Shelbers91]

Cool thanks! He said fur sure it was a wild field mouse but regardless I will tell him again that the breeding a between family members is ok. It's amazing how much he lies his little mice ^^

Plus I figure it would be a good start since I want to breed rabbits eventually. Learning about genetics is fun!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I love Satin mice! I wish I could find some around here.

I used to breed Woolies too, which have a curly coat.

I agree with Kyle that breeding closely shouldn't cause problems. My stock was very linebred and inbred, and I never had any issues.

The cage setup looks great! If you can get your hands on some straw, I would put at least 8" in the tank. They will make tunnels through it, and when they run through them it "brushes" their coat. Even my normal coated mice had incredible shine because of it.

 

[Shelbers91]

That's a good idea thanks! That picture was from google but I have the same thing and an excersize wheel and a ball to run around in and stuff. I could get chew toys and stuff at my local bird warehouse too.

As far as the straw goes, would there be like a weekly throw away reshimien or something? If there were baby mice that would make it harder to throw away trying to not desturbed them wouldn't it? (Just precautionary questions )

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

LOL after two days, I would grab babies and hold them every day until they were sold. None of my breeding females ever seemed to mind. My favorite mouse (who was also my best breeder) would even grab babies and put them in your hands if you just held your hands in the cage!!! The local pet store sold my "culls" as pets, they charged a lot more for my mice than their regular mice not just because they were satins, but because her pups would jump in your hands when you stuck them in the cage. IMO handling before their eyes open made them more social and handleable.

So if there's babies, and the cage needs cleaning...grab babies, cuddle them, toss bedding, make new nest, stick babies in, give mom a treat.

 

[ladysown]

i am so jealous. I would LOVE to own those...

 

[Shelbers91]

The sad part is I am dyin to get these though when I do it means he will be leaving the area which is kinda sad but like I said I can remember him by word of mouse lol

I didn't realize it was ok to handle pinkies so soon. That's cool ^^

I may not receive any satins but I will try because they are so beautiful. Mice are so cute

 

[Nyctra]

eeii Mouse genetics confuse me more than rabbit genetics! x.x Satin mice are so pretty though!
That wire spacing looks maybe too big to keep mice in? I use 1/4" hardware cloth for the "windows" on my mouse tubs. I've yet to lose them through that! lol

 

[Shelbers91]

I don't think the spacing is that bad. They were waayyy small compared to gerbils my friend brought over a few times.

Oo my aquaintence said he'd try the breed back. I hope hope hope he gets golden satins! I will be so happy happy happy! Then I will want them teeheehee

 

[Wyldrose]

I have been breeding fancys for 6 years now

House mice (Mus musculus) are the exact same species as the fancy/feeder mice so they can and will breed.
There are good things and bad things for breeding them together, the wild insticts can make the fancy's flighty and not as tameable as the fancys. Wild mice tend to be smaller then the domesticated. So that topper on your cage may possibly cause problems with escapee's. 1/4inch spacing is recomended for mice. If they can get their heads out they can squish the rest out. I recomend getting a mesh lid for your tank, thats how I keep mine.

Satin is a recessive trait, so you need 2 copys to make a satin, so a buck bred back to the doe will give some satins in both agouti(wild color) and yellow(aka recessive yellow). I inbreed 3-4 generations and then add a new male into my groups. If something like a tumor pops up then I cull that colony. I have only delt with 2 tumors in the 6 years. One was a mammary tumor, which is mot a genetic trait.

I recomend getting 2-3 females, males usually fight to the death. With the wild blood in them the males will be even more aggressive to each other. Breeders have been able to breed for males to live together but they have to be from a good line.

Good luck with your mice I love them they make great pets and come in a rainbow of colors!

 

[Shelbers91]

Lol omg I want to name one Mus Mus now

I will check on the wire spacing when I get home cuz I do have a mesh lid though that was going to go on the other tank for males. He has been working on there temperaments since that wild mouse got in back at the farm when he was younger. They seem to all get along he says (same sex parings) the wild mouse got in years ago but I know the blood is still prominent. He did say that he gets more agouti colors ever since he decided to sneak in. He just hasn't had as much time to work with them hands on cuz of work and school. I am in te same predicament right now but it will be better eventually.

Plus depending on things you can cull for temperament.

I'm not looking to make money off of them (just like you don't with rabbits) but is there a general about they go for? Like the pet store has some for like $6 and I'm sure they purchase them off breeders for cheap (just don't know how cheap cuz feeders are only like what 50 cents $1 at most?

 

[Wyldrose]

My petshop gives me $1 per adult mouse I bring in, she sells them for $6 each. I have enough snakes now that all my "extras" go to the freezer(CO2 chamber, then freezer).

You can try posting adds to sell them to local snake owners. I buy my frozen feeders for $0.80 an adult. There is a feeder mouse shortage going on so the prices have increased. RodentPro, one of the top American mouse suppliers had an issue with mice causing illness in humans and had to cull their entire breeding stock. So now they are slowly rebulding. Even here in Canada it's getting harder to find rodents at a decent price. I have started breeding other animals(hamsters, african soft furs and rabbits) to keep my collection fed. I can't have rats in Alberta but I have found a breeder just across the border 1+hour drive with decent prices on frozen rats. So i'll continue buying from him.